When a person injures his or her foot, ankle, knee, or another portion of the leg, he or she is often required to refrain from applying any pressure to the injured area for a predetermined period of time prescribed for recovery. This typically requires that the person refrain from walking. To remain mobile, the injured person may use a mobility device, such as a wheelchair, crutches, a leg scooter, etc., as an aid when moving around. Although a wheelchair, crutches, or a leg scooter is effective in allowing the person to move independently without applying pressure to the injured area, none of the above-mentioned mobility devices allows the injured person to move around freely without restrictions or limitations.
For instance, a wheelchair is limited to buildings, vehicles, public spaces, or other areas that have wheelchair-accessible entrances, pathways, lifts, etc. Many buildings, vehicles, and public spaces are not wheelchair accessible; and as a result, the person must refrain from going certain places or engaging in certain activities. Moreover, using a wheelchair requires the use of at least one hand to either operate an electronic control panel or to drive the wheels of the chair. Thus, a person's hands are restricted when moving around in the wheelchair.
Crutches require the use of the person's arms to balance and move the crutches when moving the body on the non-injured foot and leg to the desired location. As such, the person cannot do many simple things while using crutches, for instance, carrying a cup of coffee, opening a door, etc. Moreover, to move on crutches, the person essentially plants the bottom of the crutches forward of his body and then “swings” his body and the weight-bearing leg forward to a new position. During this swinging movement, the person must balance on the crutches. Because this requires significant arm strength, the person normally ends up bracing the upper end of the crutch within his armpit or against the inner portion of his arm to relieve some of the load on his arms. As a result, not only do the person's arms tire, but he typically acquires bruises or sore spots beneath his arms. In addition, because of the difficulty balancing on crutches, it is often difficult and dangerous for the injured person to go up and down stairs, further restricting the mobility of the injured person.
The leg scooter has been recently developed to give an injured person the increased mobility of crutches without having to strain the arms during use. The scooter typically includes a platform on which the lower half of the leg may rest, wherein the platform is moveably suspended above the ground through a wheel system. A handlebar is coupled to the scooter, the handlebar being grippable while moving to improve balance. An example of a well-known leg scooter available to the public is the Roller Aid™ leg scooter available from Enhanced Mobility System, Inc., of Spokane, Wash. Such a leg scooter is more versatile than a wheelchair in that it can fit in smaller spaces; however, the person is still restricted to areas having ramps, platforms, etc., to move from a first level to a second level. Moreover, the person's arms are not completely free while moving since it is normally necessary to hold onto the handlebars while moving. Further, the leg scooter may only be used for injuries below the knee since the knee must rest on the leg scooter during use.
Thus, there is a need for a mobility device for use by a person having a leg injury, and particularly an injury of the foot, ankle, knee, or any other area below the knee, that isolates the injured area without substantially limiting the person's mobility and without restricting use of his or her arms while moving.
The need for such a mobility device may also arise for a person who has lost a portion of his or her leg. Modem prosthetic limbs can go a long way in helping amputees to regain essential capabilities. Moreover, prosthetic limbs can be constructed such that the prosthetic limb gives the amputee the sensation or feeling that it is a part of the leg.
However, because each patient and his or her amputation is unique, each prosthetic limb must be custom fitted and then built for that person. This process is not only costly the first time, but the prosthetic limb must also be replaced or refitted as the person's body changes due to atrophy of the muscles, growth, etc.
Thus, there is also a need for a low-cost mobility device that may be adapted for use by persons with varying leg amputations and that may be adjusted to accommodate changes in body size.